The contras have been pressing the Sandinistas to grant sweeping political concessions, including changes in the Constitution.

Mr. Giuliani talked tough, warning that he might lay off thousands of workers if the unions did not grant sweeping concessions.

He was finally let go after having paid a high ransom and made sweeping political concessions, which itself led to further questions about his stay at Starkenburg.

To make such a sweeping concession would be seen back home as a sign of weakness.

But the financial burden of the war with France compelled John to make much more sweeping concessions.

The political presumption is that if he can set the rules for a referendum to require only a majority of those voting, Barak's sweeping concessions are likely to prevail.

Such a sweeping concession had never occurred to him.

Mr. Watkins: In the service area, the United States has got Canada to make the most sweeping concessions that any country has made.

Management has tied the paper's economic survival to the need for sweeping work-rule concessions by the unions and has vowed to continue publishing in the event of a strike.

The Government fell within days and opposition figures won sweeping concessions from King Birendra, who lifted a 29-year ban on political activity.